Fabric-pressing device.



PATENTED JULY 14, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

/NVENTUR n Evan fayz'' BYM F250V ATTORNEYS E. J. DAVIS. FABRIC PRESSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1908.

PATENTED JULY I4, 1908.

E. .I. DAVIS. FABRIC PRESSING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED una, 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' ATTo/aA/Eys 'unrrnn srnrns EVAN J. DAVIS, OF ROSSER, WASHINGTON.

FABRIC-PRESSING DEVICE.

Application filed. January 2, 1908.

T o all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, EVAN J. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Prosser, in the county of Benton and State of Vllashington, have invented a new and lmproved Fabric-Pressing Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact descrip- I tion.

The purpose of this invention is to provide novel, simple, and inexpensive details of construction for a fabric press, that may be embodied with a trunk or suit case, an afford compact, convenient, and reliable means for .pressing the legs of trousers, to

remove wrinkles therefrom, and also creasel them 4in conventional style; the pressing device being also available for pressing other garments or fabric if desired.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of p arts, as is hereinafter described and defined in the appended claims. i

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of refer- Y ence indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

, Figure 1 shows the improvement as applied upon a suit case, and adjusted for pressing a pair of trousers; Fig. 2 is an enarged transverse sectional view, substantially on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of details, substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 6, Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a novel detail, the position thereof being indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the improvement upon a suit case, the case and novel press being shown in opened adjustment, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, substantially on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1.

While it is feasible to use the improved fabric press without other support, it is preferred to combine'the press with the lid or top section of a suit case of common construction, and it is shown in the drawings as so combined. The suit case, as usua, consists of a body portion 10 and a top portion 11, these sections of the receptacle being hinged together as at a, said sections having suitab e dimensions for effective service, and rectangular, oblong form.

A primary detail of the improvement consists of a flat metal base plate 12 preferably Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July v14, 1908.

Serial No. 408,978.

formed of aluminum to aord lightness, and

said base plate is of such an area as to be readily placed within the section 11 and seated upon the flat to'p wall of said section, upon which it is secured by screws or other means, and as shown, the base plate is covered by a fibrous or other lining l), which also covers the inner surface of the top section throughout its area.

Two similar presser plates 13, preferably formed of aluminum, are essential details, and as shown, they together when in lace nearly cover the inner flat surface of) the lining l) over the base plate 12. The width of each of the presser plates 13 is gradually reduced from one end to the other, so as to adapt said plates for effective engagement with the body and legs of a pair of trousers. Preferably, the presser plates are each sloped upon one side edge only, as shown at c in Figs. 1 and 5, these sloped edges being relatively disposed adjacent to corresponding side walls of the top section 11, when in position for service therein, and preferably are slightly thickened at and near the same.

Each presser plate 13 is hinged at its sloped edge upon a corresponding side edge of the base plate 12 by a plurality of spaced spring hinges c. As shown clearly in Fig. 3, each hinge e is in the form of a coilof resilient wire, having one end thereof which projects downward, firmly aflixed upon the base plate 12, near a side edge thereof, as shown at e. 1n a corresponding side edge of the presser plate 13, that is to be connected by the hinges upon said side edge of the base plate 12, similar perforations a2 are formed, that are opposite the hinges c, and as shown in Fig. 4, the material standing at the edge of the presser plate opposite respective perforations e2 is bent upward into loop form, thus producing similar integral links e3 thereat. Each remaining end c4 of the spring coils e is bent into a close loopor ring e5 that is engaged with a respective link e3, and is thereto secured. The spring hinges e that are connected to the base plate 12 and presser plate 13, along one side edge thereof, are so relatively disposed that the presser plate will be normally pressed with considerable force upon the base plate 12 throughout the area of said presser plate, this being due to the tension of the spring coils forming the hinges, they having greater pressure near the edge c. lt is to be understood that the remaining presser plate 13, is similarly hinged upon the opposite side sol edge of the base plate 12 and in a like manner is pressed down by the hinge e, and the presser plates are of such width that their adjacent side edges will have suflicient clearance from each other to permit the plates to freely and independently engage material that may be placed between them. f

Upon one presser plate 1,3, near its sloped edge, two similar latch bars 14 are pivoted near opposite ends thereof, said latch bars having suflicient length to permit them to extend across the presser plates 13 when the latter are folded down upon the base plate. Upon the presser plate 13, whereon the latch bars 14 are pivoted, a staple loop plate g is secured over each latch bar, said loop plates serving to limit the rocking movement of the latch bars on their pivots f, and also-to hold the latch bars in loose contact with the presser plate. Upon the remaining presser plate 13 toward which the latch bars 14 fold, two keeper clips 7L are secured, at such points as will adapt said clips for rece tion of the latch bars, that will engage t erewith as shown by full lines for one latch bar and clip in Fig. -1, when the bar is rocked toward the latter, the other latch bar appearing in dotted lines.

At suitable points within the top section 11, straps 15 are secured by their ends, and adapted for lengthwise adjustment by the usual provision of buckles t', andv similar straps 16 and buckles i', may be provided in the body 10 of the suit case for holding clothing in place therein.

In arranging the pressing device for the reception of a pair of trousers that are to be placed within the top section 11 of the suit case, the straps 15 are unbuckled and laid back, and the catch bars 1.4 released from the keeper clips t so that the presser plates 13 may be swungl into opened condition. The trousers A have the leg portions A thereof together with the portion of the garment adjacent thereto, stretched flat upon the lining l) over the base plate 12, and for the proper operation of the device, the front portions of the legs A that are to be most perfectly creased, are disposed at the hinged edges of the presser plates 13. The presser plates are now folded down upon the leveled body portion and legs of the trousers,`and by the action of the spring hinges e, are pressed closely thereon. rIhe latch bars 14 are now rocked laterally so as to enforce their engagement beneath the keeper clips 7L, which will forcibly bind the presser lates upon the trousers and more particular y clamp the legs A of the trousers between the base plate 12 and presser plates 13, thus causing a considerable pressure on the garment for removal of wrinkles, and creasing the legs in a reliable manner.

YWhen the trousers have been placed in the pressing device, the upper portion of the garment may be folded over the lower portion thereof and smoothed out, after which the straps 15 may be adjusted for holding said folded portion in place. It will be seen that the space in the body portion of the suit case is left vacant for receiving other garments, that may be therein packed and held in place by the straps 16, as usual.

0bviously, the garment that has been put under pressure in the top section 11 of the suit case may remain therein until needed for wear, and thus be retained in pressed condition, or after having been thoroughly pressed, the trousers may be removed and hung up, so as to permit another pair to be placed in the pressing device.

As the device is complete in itself, it may also be combined with a trunk lid, or a like portion of a chest or be used independently of a receptacle such as named. The main advantage, however, of combining the pressing device with a suit case or the like, consists in Y providing convenient and reliable means for the pressing of trousers by a traveler, and thus keeping such garment in a neat condition when a person is away from home.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

1. In a device of the class described, a base, presser plates having their side edges hinged to the base plate, springs acting normally to force the presser plates against the base, clamping bars pivoted upon one of the presser plates, catches on the other plate for engaging said bars, and straps arranged at one end of the base above the presser plates for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, a base, presser plates having their side edges hinged to the base plate, springs acting normally to force the presser plates against the base, clamping bars pivoted upon one of the presser plates, and guards for limiting the movement of the bars.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EVAN J. DAVIS.,

I/Vitnesses:

B. E. McGREGoR, L. J. DAVIS. 

